Say The Words
by EarlGrayTea
Summary: AU Pacey is a director on a cult TV, with a best friend, and a great daughter, but he is missing someone he never knew. Pacey & Joey and a little Jack and Doug.
1. Chapter 1

Pairing: Pacey and Joey

Disclaimer: I do not own Dawson's Creek crew. I have never have, nor ever will.

**Prologue - Sleeps with Butterflies**

She woke me in the moonlight. I could see her silhouette, pulling on clothes, grabbing a bag stealthy hidden under the bed.

It wasn't the floorboards creaking that woke me, or the curse she uttered under her breath; after pulling your jeans on backwards. It was her breathing that woke my heat. No longer the quite metronome I was used to. It was now rushed, and reedy.

I could have stopped her. I could have begged her to stay. If not for me, and my awful nit picky habit's, then for Lea, and her crown of golden ringlets. You would have stayed. Those words, and my hands on the small of your back had stopped you before. But this time I knew better.

I hear the screen door squeak, and although I can't hear her cross the front porch, I can feel her presence drift away. I stand up, and go to the window. I see her cross the street at a jog, moving towards the rusted truck, and the man inside it. Trevor somebody. I don't know his last name, but then neither does she.

I go back to the bed, pull all the covers over my self (even though it's summer). I fall back asleep on the blue linen.

Lea, doesn't question her absence as I prepare her for daycare. One arm through her jersey, then the other. But she catches on at suppertime. Only because I let her have a second helping of dessert without warning her not to tell her mother.

I tell her the only thing I can. That her mommy loves her very much, but daddy has to raise her for a bit. She sees right through me. As always, I love her for it, and I can't see why her mom couldn't love her the same way. But she didn't, and we have always known it. All three of us.

I fold her into bed, singing '_When you wish upon a star'_

She isn't upset like I thought she would be. Only then do I phone Jack and Doug. There message machine answers. They must be screening calls, they never miss _Lost_, and so they would be in. Was talking to me more important then seeing which character dies this week? Probably not, but I gave it a go anyways."Jack? Doug? If your there please pick there's been a bit of. .. . "

"Bit of a what?" Doug asked cutting me off.

"An unpleasant if not unexpected development"

"Oh?"

"She left me"

"No"

"Yes"

"Why?"

"You know why, her career. Never live with an actress, even just an extra with pretensions of grandeur. Oh and shockingly, nether Lea or I are considered assets in this respect"

"Bitch" Jack who had apparently been listening in on the other line, chimed in.

"I know, but it's not like there weren't signs that this was coming"

"like?" Doug enquired.

Jack always the king of smart ass, answered for me "her name, never trust a girl named Darwin, particularly when she pronounces it with a fake French accent."

I can't help but smile.

"Pace, you'll be Ok. She isn't on set anymore, and you won't have to direct her, hell you won't ever have to see her, except on reruns." Jack said

"Hey, I like reruns of Innis. Couldn't live without them" I said, sounding unbarebley like my best friend Em. Innis being the show about World War Three and smuggling boats, that she created, and I worked on.

"What does Em think of all this"

"She wasn't surprised, she wasn't happy, but she wasn't surprised"

"I always knew Darwin was bad news," Jack said repeating the sentiment if not the exact words from earlier.

_TBC – Next Chapter, will be much longer, and will include Joey_

_Please review! _


	2. Hush

Chapter One: Hush

**Two Years Later**  
_  
_

_Jacks POV_

The thing with Pacey and Em's house is that it is always a glorious mess. Everything might be messy, the paper mache butterfly masks, the box of coco puffs, cherries, Anna Kernina, and Dr Seuss. But there was some sort of joyful chaos to it all. The smudged fridge, the macaroni mural. At least for me, and the rest of the world, but for Doug it was like a torture chamber, he couldn't be here without wanting to clean everything up. Make the beds, Wash and shave Max (for the record one should never shave a golden retriever).

So that is what Doug was doing, throwing all there shoes into a neat organizational box, where they were sure never to be found. From there Doug moved on the mantle and it's row of duty pictures in dusty frames. I continue to ignore him and observe Lea working on her painting of Nemo.  
" Why is her picture still up here�" Doug enquires, pointing at a small silver picture frame of Darwin.  
Lea already skipping along the hardwood floor towards Doug says cheerfully "Dad just wants me to remember her� as if it was just an afterthought.  
"Oh"  
"Yeah, he thinks having a mom is important, but I already have one" The look on Lea's face made it all too clear that Darwin, was not the one she considered to be her mother .  
Lea disappeared into the kitchen. And I moved closer to Doug so that she couldn't over hear us talk.  
"I bet the picture was Em's idea"  
'Of course, as far as Pacey is concerned, Darwin is the past." Doug says dusting the frame nonetheless.  
'Em, just wants to remind Lea, that she is not her mom, in spite of what Lea calls her. That way it will be easier, on Lea then if Pacey ever gets evolved with another women, seriously" Dismissing Pacey's one night stands with the same flick of the hand that Pacey always dismissed them with.

'If being the key word in that sentence' Doug said. Doug is, dare I say, a shipper for Em and Pacey. I knew better, and more importantly so did they. Em is the perfect mom, the brilliant creator, the best friend any of us could ask for (in spite of her mood swings, taste in art, and atrocious spelling). While the two loved each other, they did not excite each other in that way. They were an old married couple without the sex, perhaps the best old non married couple there ever was but they knew each there too completely to try something new now.

That said Em was Lea's mother, even if a new women entered Pacey's life that wouldn't change. Lea and Em already shared the same bizarre habits, and love of all things written. Even before Darwin left two years ago, they were closer then Darwin and Lea ever were.

Doug turned around and surveyed his work "Does it look good�"  
I smiled and said, "It doesn't look messy" Knowing that Pacey and Em were due back in a couple of hours and they would soon return it to it's old glorious shambles.

_Pacey's PoV  
_  
"Doug's probably messing things up again" Em stated, as she stood next to me on the set, we were on the deck of the Iniss. Our main hero, Carol's ship of choice. The wind had whipped up an hour earlier, and made filming none too present, between the flapping sail, and the choppy water our lead actress had thrown up twice. That did not concern Em, about the thought of my brother cleaning our house did.  
"Afraid he might discover your porn stash"  
Em punched me in the arm "Not in less you hide yours under my bed"  
"Ohh, I wish I had thought of that!" Lilly, the makeup artist stepped away from our lead actress miss Jen Lindley, and Em instinctively fell silent, and let me do my job, filming the scene, it went relatively quickly. Than shooting was over for the day, unfortunately the day itself was far from over, and while certain members of our cast complained about having to work on a Saturday, at least there hours were comparatively shorter.

We still had to cast Jace's love interest, which should be fun. Jace was the rouge, the lovable womanizer, who was loyal to his friends, but fairly incapable of true loyalty to his romantic partner. Em in her infinite wisdom as the creator, and head writer had decides that after 5 seasons the only thing he hadn't done is fall in love and she should do her best to solve that.

The problem with having a rouge that settles down is matching him with the perfect partner. I half-heatedly hoped it wouldn't be as bad as I predicted, but I had no such luck.

Two hours in, in a brief judges break, Sean the actor who plays Jace, and a close friend of ours (although more Em's than mine, he's a little too much like his character for my taste), sighs heavily, and sits down on Em's lap. "Did the casting call accidentally ask for smarmy Barbie look alikes with identical nose jobs and no acting ability�"

Em grinned; I chuckled then added (as always) my two cents. "No, actually the precise wording was 'must have boobs'"

"Nice" Jace said with a wink, on that rather inappropriate note women entered. Short with long brown hair, and pale skin, beating the Barbie clones by looks alone. She held a slightly doodled on script in her right hand.

"Joey Potter" Em asked looking down her list. Joey nodded, and Em checked the box next to joey's name.

"So a quick read through?" Joey enquired.

"Yes" Em said, with the quirky smile she always wears when she likes someone based only on the bare minimum of contact. Which isn't often. Hell she didn't even like me when we first met, albeit I was chasing her with a water gun through our neighborhood,

Sean stood up script in hand to read his part; he started of clearing his voice.

"What the hell do you thing your doing?"  
"Painting a boat" Joey responded, eyebrow arched.  
"No, your not painting, a boat, your painting MY boat�  
The fierce bantering continued for 5 minutes. I had to confess to being genuinely enraptured by it all. That was unusual, generally that happened once it was on TV all edited, and reedited for mass consumption, but here on the raw run through, scripts in hand no less he was captured, by her. . . No there, presence.

Em nodded sagely when it ended, and thanked Joey for her time.  
"So" Sean enquired the minute she left the room.  
"She is the one" I replied without thinking, then amended the statement "If Em concurs of course?"  
"That I do" Em said, her eyes sparkling, as if she knew something I didn't.

_TBC: Next chapter; A party, a kiss, and more Joey. . ._

Please, Please, Review! I would love to hear what you think of the original characters and the plot so far


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: I** now have many people watching this story. Almost ten. Yet I still have no reviews. I find this a tad bothersome. The fact is I already have more chapters written and up elsewhere but the fact remains that I find it hard to keep motivated and updating this story when no one reviews it. Reviews help me improve stories and I very much apprichaiate that. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Pacey's POV**

I dump a bag of corn chips into an old blue clay bowl. Em had made it in her brief albeit, interesting stint into ceramics. The Bowl was the only item that managed to survive Lea's terrible two's intact. I took the dip out of the fridge, nearly knocking over Sean in the processes. The house was officially packed. It had been our tradition ever since episode one had hit the air to welcome new members of to the cast by throwing a shindig after their first day on set. As the cast, the crew, and their families had grown progressively larger, so it had grown increasingly more complicated.

But still everyone insisted on maintaining tradition, and I in spite of my occasional complaints quite liked it, except when a drunk Jen picked the music. The rumbling baritone of William Shatner emanated from the living room.I went in there rushing past Em, who was huddled on the stairs with Sean, seized control of the CD player from the quite tipsy Jen, and turned it off.

Jen sighed, and fist punched the air, everyone else cheered. I raised my glass, and the rest of the room fell silent. Em, came to my side, and I wrap by arm around her waist, because she is trembling, even though she is one of the few not drinking.

"This is our fifth season on the air, and party number 152, or some such number. I just want to do what I do every time. Thank You, for your time, your effort, your love, your support, and sometimes your loathing" I stare at Jen, and the entire room burst out laughing. In spite of being our lead actress, and loving us personally, she failed to understand the show and this fact had come out on numerous occasions on set, and once in a half drunk interview with Seventeen Magazine. "Also welcome a board to Joey Potter, who blew us all away on her first day." There was a cheer, and everyone returned to there conversations after pausing to make sure there was nothing more to the speech. Em usually said something, yet she had been conspicuously silent. "Em, you OK?"

She nods, but still trembles "I just think I need some fresh air, and a glass of water"

"Ok, go outside" I commanded, "I will bring the water"� She smiled wanly and picks her way through the crowd towards the front door. She would go to the gazebo, as she always did. I am fairly sure she would sleep there if it were a viable option, as far as she was concerned it was the best part of the house.

I turned the CD player on, now with a more crowd pleasing tune, Snow, By The Red Hot Chili Peppers. I went into the kitchen, and retrieved a glass with Mickey mouse printed on it from the jam cupboard, then turned around to see that Joey was there

"How are you? Is the crowd treating you well?" I ask curtly, I was to worried about Em to get into a long conversation right now. Even a conversation with Joey, who I must admit intrigues me.

"Very well" Joey says, her smile was that of a little girl, in the very best way. "It's a nice house you and Em have here."

"Thanks, Lea loves it too." I fill the glass with water.

"Who is Lea?" Joeys enquires.

"Lea's my daughter. She is safely packed off to my brothers house at the moment. But she's already forced him to phone me and Em thrice, to check in on us." I reply plopping two, no three, ice cubes into the glass.

"Is that how you two got together? You and Em, I mean"

I laugh. "No . . . Um Em is one of the very bright lights in my life, my best friend, and one of Gods greatest gifts to me, but she is certainly in no my wife, lover, or girlfriend."

"Sorry" Joey said, blushing deeply, which only made her more attractive. Although. I think it just made her feel ashamed. It was an assumption so many people made that I should have been expecting it.

"Its OK, it's not like she dates anyone. I mean Sean and I have set her up on a few dates, but then we discovered that most guys are bastards, and unworthy. Besides it's not like I have much time to date either. . ." I was blathering on like an idiot in front of an attractive woman.

Just then someone in the next room yells "Jen puked, all over the carpet"

"Frack" I hand the glass to Joey, "Can you please take this out to Em, she's out in the gazebo, she's not feeling well." I rush in to clean up the mess, The carpet was one of em's few family treasures, and she would skin me alive, if anything happened to it.

**Joey POV**

Pacey was not what I expected. He was more random, and less professional (in the good sense of the word), then I had imagined him to be. That said he was nice, physically and otherwise.

It was still funny to be around the people I admire most in film making. Sure they were far from the most famous, nor were they the most prestigious, but as far as television was concerned they were the Cult Team to follow.

Dawson Leery may be the next Steven Spielberg, but they weren't the next anyone, they were defining there own genre, pushing there own envelope. Emily Whedon, more then Pacey Whiter, but still, both managed to be legends having created only two shows, and one fabulously low budget movie. I had every single interview they had ever done, filed away in my desk. Every episode of Everly, and later Innis on DVD. Not that I was about to tell them that. I needed to be taken seriously, after all it was my career that was in need of help not there's

Thank goodness they didn't seem to realize that I am one half serious actress one half fan girl. I carry the water out the door across the creaky porch towards the gazebo which was a beautifully constructed, and painted green. I got closer and I saw that there were two people in there, and they were . . . Kissing.

That's when I fell, my heel catching on a rock. I managed to keep the water upright during the fall. As I got up, I brushed the grass of my dress and went into the gazebo, Em, was there on her own. "Hi" I say as I enter.

"Thank You so much" Em took the glass from me, gingerly, Her lipstick was slightly smudged. Who had she been kissing?

TBC. . . .

Please Review


	4. Chapter 4

Authors Note: Thank You so much for the truly terrific reviews, Mistylee (who guessed right, and i'm glad you like the show aspect of the story) and Shortygirl81.

**Kissing**

_Two Weeks later_

Joey POV

I was up for my first kiss. On screen that is, which is sounds as unromantic as all get out, with the cameras, and the camera people. Not to mention my fake kissing partner Sean, who has done this dozens of times before. He is most famed for the minute and a half underwater kissing scene that he pulled of in one shot on the first try, during the first season finale.

Sean pops up behind me, wearing all black, per his character.

"Joey, Are you ready?"

I nodd slowly.

"Not looking forward to kissing me, I see�" He says with a grin on his face.

'Not on screen' Only belatedly realizing what I had said. "No not like that, it's just.. . . "

"Relax, I know what you mean. Every time I kiss on screen I think about how I shouldn't be doing this, how I have a girlfriend all that. Then when we watch it together, she is completely ambivalent to it. Sometimes she critiques my technique, but never what I do. Which is fine because I feel nothing on screen, and everything when I kiss her"  
"Touching story, now if only you had a girlfriend to back it up. . "  
He threw a shirt at me with a grin, turns around, and yells at me, "last one to the set is a rotten egg."

I shook my head. Someday that kid would have to grow up, and with that I ran, after him. Pacey was at the set waiting for us. He looks good in the sun, but before I could delve any further into my inner fascination with him, he started barking orders, and we follow them. He seems slightly nervous about all this. Why should he be, its not like he was the one about to be caught kissing on film.

When we started the kissing scene nothing felt natural, my head was at an odd angle and my lips never seemed to feel right. Sean's lips were too big, they felt course, and large, as if they were trying to swallow me whole. It was like kissing a brother.

Pacey also wasn't feeling the shot he kept on switching us around and barking orders, not that I could blame him. We just weren't working, after a certain point we just start laughing, that's when Pacey pushed Sean out of the way. Put his hands on the small of my back, and drew me close to him.

"See this is how it is supposed be, close intimate, none of that personal space, in between that seems to be so popular these days" Pacey then drew closer to me, his lips almost touching mine. That's when my brain stopped working, and my lips gone all the way. According to Sean it was a good 12-second kiss.

Halfway through my brain came to its senses, So that when I pulled away, my mouth had a witty comment to say. "Is that what you want�"  
Pacey more then a little discombobulated himself, nods, than retorts, "but with Sean"

Sean stepped back in the ring, and this time when we kiss, we kissed properly, only because I imagined that his lips were Pacey's.  
Pacey didn't bring up the kiss, again and neither did I. It was great, but it couldn't happen. I couldn't let it. Work was work, play was play, and pacey fell into the first category.

Besides it's not like we actually got along, we had fought at least once a day. Also Pacey had more then enough on his mind, between taking care of his daughter, and the set. I couldn't like him like that.

Once shooting wrapped I headed for the parking lot, hoping to hitch a ride with Jen. My car was in the shop due to muffler trouble.

Pacey's car honks, and I turn towards it  
"Need a ride?" he shouts.

I nod, "Thanks." I hop into the big red jeep, and look around for Sean, who always drove home with Pacey, they were big on carpooling.  
Pacey notices my questioning glance and says "Don't worry, Sean brought his own car to work today, he had to leave a bit early to take Em to the doctors office, for testing"  
Oh great I was stuck I alone in a car with someone I had just kissed.  
"Is Em Ok?"  
"I hope so. She hasn't been feeling well lately but she's always been a rather healthy person so whatever it is she should be better, maybe even before the doctors find out what it is," Pacy turns the radio on. He was always listening to music. "Look would like to go on a date?"  
"What?"  
"You heard me, at least I think you did, given the current expression on your face"  
"Yes, but . . "  
"No, but's. . . "  
**  
Later that night.  
**  
Pacey, the perfect gentlemen (when he wanted to be) opened the door for me, helped me out of the jeep, and on to the pavement. We have already had a wonderful dinner at a funky little restaurant with an over abundance of twinkle lights, and waiters with names like Horatio and Apple Blossom. Now we were on a cliff.  
"Were are we? Inspiration point?"  
"I wish" Pacey says wistfully. He grabs a backpack from the trunk.  
"So we are going to school?"  
"Ha-ha"  
My eyes focus on the backpack "Are those Barbies I see"  
Pacey fake winced "It's Lea's I swear. "  
I follow him into the woods, after he hands me a flashlight. The path was uneven, but pretty even in the dark.  
We talk on the way but I couldn't't help being curios about my destination. Pacey kept his mouth shut about that.  
"Have you ever been here before? Will you at least tell me that"  
"Yes, or rather Em showed it to me. When we were kids. I always saved it to show it to some special."  
"Wouldn't Lea's mom qualify?"  
"Darwin"  
So that was her name.  
Pacey continued "Well I offered, but she said night hikes didn't interest her, and neither did day ones"  
"Really?" So I was the only woman he had showed this too. Than something else popped to mind  
"So why don't you date seriously"  
"Can't you tell that I am?" Pacey replies, if I could have seen the look on his face in the dark, I would have seen a worried one.  
""No, not me, before that"  
"Well it's a matter of finding the right women. Em taught me that. Not because she only dates the right guys, but from her occasional adventures into relastionshipping it's become very clear that she usually chooses the wrong ones. That's when I realized I was pretty much doing the same thing. Even with Darwin."  
"Oh"

"I think Em's given up dating for ever. I on the other hand . . . .""But than who did I see her kissing... " My voice trailed off. Oppppps. That was not the right thing to say. If she hadn't told him there had to be a reason. And it was up to her to tell him, frack, frack, frack, I kept saying in my head,  
"What?" Pacey's voice was outraged.  
"Maybe I was seeing things," I blurted out and before he could respond I changed the subject "So when will we get there?"  
He had stopped "We are there"  
"And there is?" I asked.  
He pointed up and there was a ladder and a fire tower, the government built them in the late 80's. All over the states in the woods to monitor fires should they occur? He helped me up, there were lots of steps, and then we were there, and I could see all of LA from here, and the woods and the trees, everything was so beautiful and alive. He took two wine glasses and a bottle of wine out of the Barbie backpack. Hardly it's normal contents.  
He set down and gestured to the ground next to him. From There we could still see the stars. Looming above, it was beautiful. I took a sip of the wine. It was wonderful and rich, and then Pacey in his infinite wisdom brought something even more remarkable out of the Barbie backpack. A gold box "Godiva" . So that's how the night ended kissing and drinking wine in a Forrest looking out over LA

* * *

I ran into Sean the next day on set, he was pulling some lederhosen out of the lake (don't ask), with a grim look on his face. "Hi" I volunteered cheerfully (Yes I was cheerful in the morning. the night had been that good). Sean looked up from his task, and glared at me. It was such a shock that I almost fell off the dock. Sean never glared. In fact I had never seen him wear anything bit a grin on his face.

"What?" I enquire. "Is Em Ok?"  
Sean misterisioly raised his fingers to his lips giving me the international sign to shssssh. He then extricates himself from the water and mud, lederhosen in his hands and climbs up on the dock. Instead of just speaking to me there, He heads towards the woods and indicating that I should follow.

Once we were in the forests green lit interior he turned to me "When did you earn the right to tell Pacey about Em kissing someone?"  
"Excuse me, I didn't know you had to earn that right." Was this what he was mad about? I had regretted it when I initially said it, but the rest of the night had swept it out of my mind,  
"Pacey's on a which hunt now, and he wants me to help"  
"So?" I shrugged "Why would he do that?"  
"Em's had some really bad luck with men before, her last boyfriend was a serial cheater, one hit her."  
I gasp. Sean elaborates on the statement. "Only once but still, Pacey is convinced that no guy is good enough for Em. And if they are it's up to him to decide"

"Ok I still don't get it. How do you figure in? If you don't want to help him just say no" I paused and thought about the situation for a second "Wait. You already know who it is!"  
Sean nods  
"Who?"  
"Me"  
"What?" I guess it did kind of make sense but even than it still came as a surprise" But for how long?"  
"About two years"  
"Why?"  
"Because we love each other," Sean says quietly, but not as quietly as he said what came next "Hell we would probably be married by now if we wern't worried about our third wheel"  
"Oh"

"We were planning to tell him, when we finally got into a serious relationship again, which looks imminent" he said pointing to me. Couldn't help feeling g pleased about this. "But you're going to force our hand. It's better for us to tell then for him to find out. I mean it's a bit of a shock that we have been able to cover it up this long. Was not all that guarded anymore. We have done weekends a way. Even Valentines Day – twice. Hell even Lea knows and she just kept her mouth shut"  
"Sorry"  
"I know" Sean said "It's Ok"  
We both knew it wasn't "But won't he be fine with you?"  
"Not necessarily, He could easily think I was just taking advantage of our friendship. He doesn't like me as much Em does"  
"That's a good thing," I said with a smirk.  
"No I mean even when we were just friends he never really liked me. I grew on him, but he still doesn't like me. I'm not one of his best friends. He refers to me as one of Em's best friends."  
"Oh?" there was a very awkward pause and then I said "Well you can make it through this."  
"I can, but Em . . . she loves me but she looks after Pacey to the point were she could never dare, let him down"  
When he said it I knew it is true. There was no questioning the logic. I left the woods. There was nothing more to say.

**Next chapter:** The Sean hit's the fan. . .

**Please Review this extra long chapter. . . **


	5. Chapter 5

Authors Note: Thank You so much for the review Mistylee, it was truly excellent. That is indeed foreshadowing you spotted.

_**Searching in the Hay Stack**_

_**Pacey's POV **_

I am in the production office bent over stills of every party we held, for the last year searching for Em's hand holding another, or her lips kissing the casting director. It couldn't have lasted longer than that. It never had before, after all. My back hurt and I had this theory that the magnifying glass did nothing but distract me but still I persevered. I wanted to be home with Lea and Em in my large overstuffed living room chair. But I couldn't do this there because than I might as well ask Em myself. I didn't want to do that, because than had to admit to some level of snooping. Also than she would have to see the look on my face when I first found out who it was. I have a feeling it's not going to be a pleasant expression.

I wish Sean could help me but he was driving Em to the doctors. Besides he wasn't keen on helping me. He said yes, but his shifty eyes said something else. Which is fine. Long periods of time spent alone with Sean have a tendency to drive me insane. For one thing he doesn't seem to appreciate silence nearly enough.

Joey snuck into mind again. She tried to cheer me up to day with a kiss. I would be a damn fool and a liar, to say that didn't cheer me up a bit. But I couldn't think of that yet.

It had been two hours now. I glanced over the last photo. In a movie that�s been the clue would be. If it wasn't on the first picture anyways. No such luck for me. I grab all the photos and stuff them into a plastic QFC bag and head off.

I arrived home. Parked the jeep out front and hoped out. I could smell curry drifting from the kitchen towards me. I had to ask her. Before the curiosity stabbed me in the back while I slept. I took the stairs tow at a time in long, clumsy strides. The living room was empty. I headed towards the kitchen and there was Em standing over the sink. Washing her hands. I tiptoed up behind her and put my arms around her waist, she turned the water off and leaned against my body. I could feel her Goosebumps against my flesh.

"Where is Lea?"

"She is spending the evening at your brothers."

So Em knew that I was investigating her life. At least the love aspect of it. She wanted to talk about it with me too. That much was clear.  
But not now as she gently slipped free of my arms and grabbed the still steaming plate of Aloo Mattir and rice off the counter, and carried it too the tables. Her arms betraying her by shaking.  
I open my mouth to speak

She stops me with the palm of her hand, "After dinner."

So over dinner we talked about dailies, the way the plotline will unfurl this season, and Lea's teachers republican tendencies.

Than the minute I had swallowed my last grain of rice I asked the question

"Who are you dating, and why didn't you tell me?"

There is a pause and than one of Em's certified _deep thought sighs_. "Sean"

That Rat basterd.

I stood up I don't know why I wasn't thinking till I felt myself subconsciously playing with my car keys. I knew where Sean�s place was less than 5 minutes away in less than 1 I could beat him up into sidewalk pulp. My fist liked that idea

But Em grabbed my now clenched hand "Don't hurt him"

"Why not?"

"He's been very good to me. He's not like the others. I love him. "

"At first they never are." I said knowing I was right.

"We have been together for two years. There are no more firsts for us. . . At least not many."

"Two? Two whole years!" My voice was rising beyond my control.

"I'm sorry we were just about to tell you."

"Why now. Why after all this time would you tell me at all?" It must be because they were getting serious, even more serious than two years of dating. Whatever that was. I didn't want to think about the E word. Or even worse the M one.

There was a pause "Because we wanted you to have someone serious in your life first�"

Joey? Maybe that was part of the excuse but it wasn't all of it. We both knew it, but I didn't dare speak.

"So what now?" Em said she was close to me I could see how pale she was under the light. I did't want to say this. But I am incapable of lying to anyone. I would break up with Joey if she asked me to (and we had only been out a couple times. . .). Not that she ever would, but still . . .

"Depends. . . What will you do if I hit him?" The words surprised even me, and they came out of my mouth after all.

"Be angry"

"What would you do if I asked you to break up with him?"

Her whole face shattered. Tears seemed to come, not from the eyes but right out of the skin. "No. Not that."

I wanted to give in. Right than and there, but I didn't. My stubbornness prevented it.

"Than get out" I said pointing. She must understand, how I feel betrayed by both of them (mostly him) and the loathing I felt for him.

Em just nods. Her whole body trembling she got up and marched out the front door. I heard the screen door snap behind her.

My eyes couldn't contain themselves and tears started pouring out at that point I got up, and ran for the door, to call her back in. To say that they could date. That I had no right to prevent that, but I didn't need to. She was there in the hallway leaning against the front door, defeated.

"I will"

I picked her body up in my arms and took her over to the couch as she wept.

I almost said that she didn't have to leave Sean. Almost . . . But the words never came.

_ Next Chapter:_ Happy things happen! But it's just the calm before the storm. Because underneath the surface there is a lot going on. The next chapter is Joey/Pacey centric.


	6. Chapter 6

Authors Note: Thank you ShortyGirl81!

**_Into A New World_**

**Joey POV**

I was down by the beach trying to find my snorkel, for an upcoming scene. I had pleaded with props to use it during my lunch break so I really knew how to use it and now I had misplaced it. Great.

"Joey!"

I looked up and there on the hill was Pacey holding up the snorkels and goggles like a long distance racing prize.

I hadn't seen Pacey since Sean pulled me into the woods two days ago. He simply hadn't shown up to work for two days, which was utterly unlike Pacey. It was the only thing anyone had talked about for two days ago. I presumed he had found out about Sean and Em. Than I ran into Sean on set or rather we filmed a scene together and I no longer had to wonder. He pulled me aside right after the camera's switched off, and told me what was going on

"Em, told him."

I had figured that much on my own "and?"

Sean gave a big pensive sigh, and straighter his shoulders, making him appear even taller "He told her to move out. Which is completely unfair given the fact that the house is half hers. She made it all the way out the door, before deciding against it" There was so much pain on Sean's face. I almost couldn't forgive Pacey for what he is was doing. Sean pulling a psychic on me looked into my eyes and said, "I hate to say this given the circumstances, but Pacey really is a good person. I know where he's coming from even. The last time she dated someone else I had my cell phone on 24 hours a day seven days a week just waiting for an emergency call, during dinner, at the movies, when I went out on dates . . . I just hope he gets over it, and even if he doesn't I think you should still see him. There's no reason why both of us should lose our chance at love over his protectiveness"

"His idiocy you mean?" I say.

"That too" Sean said turning away from me.

And now I was staring at Pacey coming down the hill towards me. A smile on his face like the full moon. I knew I couldn't say no to him. Not because of what Sean had said but that cocky smile, and the way he looked at me just felt right. He picked me up and spun me.

"You up for a date tonight?"

"Really I have to be up for you to go on a date with me? Do you mean up metaphorically or literally" I smirk at the end of the sentence.

" Well it helps, if it's only metaphorical because as light as you are I don't think I could carry you to dinner, than to drinks. "

"That's true" I squeeze his arm. " I don't think your arms are strong enough for that."

"Really, my dear. . ." Pacey raises an eyebrow at that. "Than I just might have to prove it to you"

"Joey" Peter one of the assistants yelled down the hill "on set in two"

"Coming" I yell back as Pacey lets me down.

_Pacey's Pov_

I lock the car, knowing the date went well. There have only been three so far so this might sound a little presumptions but I'm going to say it anyway. She is the first girl I felt like this about. From the very beginning there was something that struck me as a little off about Darwin. Her tendency to turn dessert choices into a moral argument for instance. But I convinced myself I was just over reacting. With Joey there were no niggling qualms.

I go inside drop the keys on the table and go upstairs looking in on Lea. I hope Joey likes her, when they meet. I will wait a couple months at least for that. Em would always be Leas' mother considering Darwin never really was, but Joey could be a stepmother of sorts. Look at me, the old comitmaphobe getting ahead of my self.

Em's light was showing underneath her door. She was known to stay up late, but not this late, I double-checked my watch. 3:30 is not an hour you stay up to innless your up and out or in and upset.

I knock on the door. I can practically sense her jump in surprise on the other side.

"Come in"

I open the door and walk into the blue and purple ness that is her room with its white farmers bed, and butterfly filled ceiling, vintage curtains and lamps. It's not exactly the room you would imagine cults brightest edgiest young creator (according to Empire Magazine) to sleep in again. But than again she wasn't the person you would expect those ideas to come in her personality was perky and motherly and quite frankly her ideas and writing style was devastatingly real, depressing and subtly futuristic (yet another fact I and Empire agree on). "What are you doing up so late?"

"What are you doing out so late?" The smile on her face a bit strained. Usually I would put that down to the ultimatum I gave her (which I am starting to regret but not enough to revoke or apologize for) but she had been fine with me the last two days. Normal even.

"Em-est, darling I was on a date"

"And how is Joey tonight?"

I set down on one of the big overstuffed chairs Em had stolen from Starbucks "Joey? Who said the date was with her. Please she's so last week"

Em laughed and threw a pillow an owl pillow at me "Ha, you smitten idiot"

Too few people use the word smitten easy more I thought, "It was great. But you still haven't answered my question, what's up with you?"

"Just thinking" Em said slumping back against her headboard.

"About what?"

"Two things. The first being I think you should introduce Lea to Joey."

"Of course I will do that"

"Soon!"

"And if by soon you mean in two months I agree with you completely"

Em shook her head adamantly "I mean now"

"Don't you think it's a little soon?"

"No. I just think a lot of things are up in the air right now. And I just think they should meet"

I take Em's opinion seriously so I nod. "Ok, What's the second thing?"

"I was wondering, since tomorrows Saturday if you would want to go for a sail?"

I adore my boat the true love (Em - always the writer believes that it is the most embarrassing name ever), and a day of sailing sounded perfect right about now "Of course. Let's leave Lea at Dougie's though. If that's ok."

I get out of the chair and walk towards the bed.

"I was just about to suggest it" Lea said with a smile.

I lean over the bed and give Em a hug. Her whole body is trembling again. "Goodnight"

I switch the light off, and into the dark Em said something I thought she never would "I'mglad I broke up with Sean".

_Next Chapter: A day sailing; than more Joey. _

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